Decriminalizing homosexuality

I have a new story up on the main page of Xtra.ca, which looks at the failure of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to come to an agreement about the issue of decriminalising homosexuality among member nations, and broadens out to a look at the efficacy of using foreign aid as a possible means for achieving these goals. I really enjoy being able to do these longer, more analytical pieces, and I think I managed to find a pretty good group of experts to talk to on the issues presented here, which always makes these kinds of stories even more enjoyable.

Canada and the Commonwealth

I have a new story up on the national page of Xtra.ca today, which is my interview with Senator Hugh Segal about his role in drafting the Commonwealth Eminent Person's Report. With the other Commonwealth stories I've been working on (another is due up on the site shortly), it was nice to get a chance to talk to Segal about his role and to get a better glimpse of what was going on behind the scenes of the report drafting process. Shortly after writing the story, it was announced that Segal would be leading Canada's effort for Commonwealth renewal, which I think will suit him well.

Harper government keeps 2011 Global Fund commitment

I have a story up on the Toronto page of Xtra.ca which is actually a good news story for the government, about how they're keeping their 2011 Global Fund commitment - and actually getting the money out the door a bit early even. I'd like to thank Bev Oda's spokesperson for getting back to me personally right away, which almost never happens lately, and to Richard Elliott for once again being such a great source of information on these kinds of issues.

Parliament Hill's Rehabilitation Underway on Several Buildings

I have a new story up on OpenFile Ottawa this morning, which serves as an update on the progress of the renovation, restoration and refurbishment of several buildings on Parliament Hill and in the parliamentary precinct. As a regular denizen of the Hill, I always enjoy hearing more about what is going on with that process, and doing stories like this gives me the opportunity. Plus, how cool is the cutaway picture of the Wellington Building?

Federal AIDS funding rules change

I have a new story up on the national page of Xtra.ca today, which looks at the way in which the federal government changed the funding requirements for HIV/AIDS service organisations around the country. It's one of several HIV-related stories that I wrote over the past few days (but ironically the first one to be posted, as the others trickle out over the next few days), and it does seem fairly apropos given some of the news in the past week over the possibility of a new vaccine and the upcoming court challenges on criminalisation of HIV infections.

Critics question government's response to refugee claims

I have a new story up on the main page of Xtra.ca, which looks at the pledge that Jason Kenney made about taking in more refugees, but contrasts it with some of the other moves that his government has made on the refugee file. Given that the refugee file is one I've kept an eye on for a while (so much so that one of my sources remarked that I seem to be one of the few journalists who actually talks about refugees), it was nice to catch up with some of my sources, and to keep up on the issues.

Preserve the system, change the culture

I have an op-ed piece on iPolitics.ca today, as part of their "78 ways to fix the way we do politics" series, in which I argue in favour of the "first-past-the-post" electoral system. The opportunity came up as a bit of a surprise, when the deputy publisher emailed me after I tweeted my displeasure with the two articles on electoral reform that appeared in the print edition of the series. After a bit of discussion, and given their awareness of my own previous writings on the topic of democratic reform, they offered me the chance to write my own piece, which I gladly took up. Hopefully it can be a useful contribution to the discussion that follows.

Baird speaks out on Nigerian anti-gay bill

I have a second story today, this one on the main page of Xtra.ca, which gets reaction from opposition parties to the official condemnation by the Canadian government of Nigeria's anti-homosexuality bill. The other stories in the mainstream simply rewrote the press release whereas I got some reaction, and had some pretty interesting feedback - especially from the Liberal critic, who was willing to talk about reexamining our aid to Nigeria in the wake of this law.

An MP remembers a brother lost to AIDS

I have a new story up on the Ottawa page of Xtra.ca, in which I talk to NDP MP Glenn Thibeault about his brother who died of AIDS twenty years ago. This being World AIDS Day, it was an interview that came about at a very timely juncture, and everything fell into place nicely. It's also received some really great attention from places like Macleans.ca, and it made it onto National Newswatch, which is really gratifying.